Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes
Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by Andy Williams | ||||
Released | March 26, 1962 (LP) April 7, 1987 (CD) | |||
Recorded | 1962 | |||
Genre |
| |||
Length | 36:36 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer | Robert Mersey[2] | |||
Andy Williams chronology | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [3] |
Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes is the ninth studio album by American pop singer Andy Williams. It was released on March 26, 1962, by Columbia Records and covered film songs that were mostly from the previous decade.
The album made its first appearance on Billboard magazine's Top LP's chart in the issue dated May 12 of that year and remained there for 176 weeks (the longest chart run of any of his albums), peaking at number 3.[4]
The album received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America on October 14, 1963, and thus became Williams's earliest recording to achieve this honor but not, however, the first to do so. His Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests album, which was released in April 1963, received its Gold certification just one month prior to this one.[5] By 1967, the album had sold more than two million copies.[6]
Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes was released on compact disc for the first time by Columbia in 1987.[1] It was also released as one of two albums on one CD by Sony Music Distribution on May 15, 2001, the other album being Williams's Columbia album from February 1962, Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing.[7]
Album concept
In his autobiography Moon River and Me: A Memoir, Williams describes how Archie Bleyer, the head of his former record label, Cadence Records, had discouraged the singer from recording the song "Moon River" in 1961, assuming that young people wouldn't understand the line "my huckleberry friend". Williams writes, "He thought it was too abstract and didn't think it would be a hit single, so he turned it down." Williams moved on shortly thereafter to Columbia Records, where the powers-that-be loved the idea of an entire album of songs from movies, and he wound up recording the rejected song on January 4, 1962.[8] A few months later he was again offered the chance to sing "Moon River", this time at the Academy Awards on April 9 because of its nomination for Best Original Song.[9][10] The April 28 issue of Billboard magazine reported that the album had "racked up orders, according to Columbia Records, of close to 40,000 within two weeks' release. Platter was rushed out by the label to coincide with Williams' performance of the Mancini tune on the Academy Awards Show a fortnight ago."[11]
Reception
William Ruhlmann of Allmusic felt that Williams did a "masterful version"[1] of the title track and "also does well with the rest of the songs,"[1] calling the album "a highlight in the singer's career."[1]
In 2022, Williams' rendition of Moon River was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress.[12]
Track listing
Side one
- "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" from Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (Sammy Fain, Paul Francis Webster) – 2:55
- "The Theme from A Summer Place" from A Summer Place (Mack Discant, Max Steiner) – 2:38
- "Maria" from West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim) – 3:43
- "Never on Sunday" from Never on Sunday (Manos Hadjidakis, Billy Towne) – 3:02
- "As Time Goes By" from Everybody's Welcome (Herman Hupfeld) – 3:11
- "The Exodus Song (This Land Is Mine)" from Exodus (Pat Boone, Ernest Gold) – 3:16
Side two
- "Moon River" from Breakfast at Tiffany's (Henry Mancini, Johnny Mercer) – 2:46
- "Tonight" from West Side Story (Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim) – 2:37
- "The Second Time Around" from High Time (Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen) – 3:23
- "Tender Is the Night" from Tender Is the Night (Fain, Webster) – 3:05
- "It Might as Well Be Spring" from State Fair (Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers) – 3:11
- "Three Coins in the Fountain" from Three Coins in the Fountain (Cahn, Jule Styne) – 2:55
Personnel
From the liner notes for the original album:[2]
- Robert Mersey – arranger, conductor, producer
- Andy Williams - vocals
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Moon River & Other Great Movie Themes". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
- ^ a b (1962) Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes by Andy Williams [album jacket]. New York: Columbia Records CS 8609.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1498. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
- ^ Whitburn 1985, p. 405.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". riaa.com. Retrieved 27 March 2017. Type Andy Williams in the Search box and press Enter.
- ^ Clive Davis (November 11, 1967). "Columbia's View: Market Potential". Billboard. p. 26. ISSN 0006-2510. [Special Issue titled A Billboard Spotlight: Andy Williams]
- ^ "Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing/Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes". allmusic.com. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
- ^ (2002) Album notes for The Complete Columbia Chart Singles Collection by Andy Williams, [CD booklet]. New York: Sony Music.
- ^ Wiley & Bona 1996, pp. 337, 1078.
- ^ Williams 2009, p. 117.
- ^ "Awards Stint Aids Williams LP Sales". Billboard. 1962-04-28. p. 6.
- ^ "The Library of Congress is preserving these major historical recordings for posterity". NPR.
Bibliography
- Whitburn, Joel (1985), Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums, 1955-1985, Record Research Inc., ISBN 0-89820-054-7
- Wiley, Mason; Bona, Damien (1996), Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards, Ballantine Books, ISBN 0-345-40053-4
- Williams, Andy (2009), Moon River and Me: A Memoir, Viking Penguin, ISBN 978-0-670-02117-8
- v
- t
- e
- Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen
- Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein
- Two Time Winners
- To You Sweetheart, Aloha
- Lonely Street
- The Village of St. Bernadette
- Under Paris Skies
- Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing
- Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes
- Warm and Willing
- Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests
- The Andy Williams Christmas Album
- The Wonderful World of Andy Williams
- The Academy Award-Winning "Call Me Irresponsible" and Other Hit Songs from the Movies
- The Great Songs from "My Fair Lady" and Other Broadway Hits
- Andy Williams' Dear Heart
- Merry Christmas
- The Shadow of Your Smile
- In the Arms of Love
- Born Free
- Love, Andy
- Honey
- Happy Heart
- Get Together with Andy Williams
- Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head
- The Andy Williams Show
- Love Story
- You've Got a Friend
- Love Theme from "The Godfather"
- Alone Again (Naturally)
- Solitaire
- The Way We Were
- Christmas Present
- You Lay So Easy on My Mind
- The Other Side of Me
- Andy
- Let's Love While We Can
- Greatest Love Classics
- Close Enough for Love
- I Still Believe in Santa Claus
- Nashville
- We Need a Little Christmas
- I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up
- Andy Williams
- Andy Williams' Best
- Million Seller Songs
- Canadian Sunset
- Andy Williams' Newest Hits
- May Each Day
- The Andy Williams Sound of Music
- Andy Williams' Greatest Hits
- The Impossible Dream
- Love Story
- Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. 2 (CBS)
- Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. 2
- Reflections
- The Best of Andy Williams (1992)
- Personal Christmas Collection
- 16 Most Requested Songs: Encore!
- The Best of Andy Williams (1996)
- The Love Songs
- In the Lounge with...
- The Very Best of Andy Williams (2000)
- Andy
- The Essential Andy Williams
- B Sides and Rarities
- Music to Watch Girls By: The Very Best of Andy Williams
- Moon River: The Very Best of Andy Williams
- The Very Best of Andy Williams (2009)
- The Classic Christmas Album
- 40 Christmas Classics
- Greatest Hits
- The New Andy Williams Christmas Album
- "Walk Hand in Hand"
- "Canadian Sunset"
- "Butterfly"
- "I Like Your Kind of Love"
- "Lips of Wine"
- "Are You Sincere?"
- "Promise Me, Love"
- "The Hawaiian Wedding Song"
- "Lonely Street"
- "The Village of St. Bernadette"
- "Danny Boy"
- "Fly by Night"
- "The Wonderful World of the Young"
- "Stranger on the Shore"
- "Don't You Believe It"
- "Twilight Time"
- "Can't Get Used to Losing You"
- "Days of Wine and Roses"
- "Hopeless"
- "A Fool Never Learns"
- "Charade"
- "Wrong for Each Other"
- "On the Street Where You Live"
- "Almost There"
- "Dear Heart"
- "...and Roses and Roses"
- "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado)"
- "May Each Day"
- "You're Gonna Hear from Me"
- "Bye Bye Blues"
- "How Can I Tell Her It's Over"
- "In the Arms of Love"
- "Music to Watch Girls By"
- "Holly"
- "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"
- "Sweet Memories"
- "Battle Hymn of the Republic"
- "Happy Heart"
- "Live and Learn"
- "A Woman's Way"
- "Can't Help Falling in Love"
- "One Day of Your Life"
- "It's So Easy"
- "Home Lovin' Man"
- "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story"
- "A Song for You"
- "You've Got a Friend"
- "Speak Softly Love (Love Theme from The Godfather)"
- "MacArthur Park"
- "Solitaire"
- "Getting Over You"
- "Love's Theme"
- "Another Lonely Song"
- "Cry Softly"
- "Sad Eyes"
- "The Other Side of Me"
- "Tell It Like It Is"
- "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
- "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"
- "I Want to Be Wanted"
- "Summertime"
- "So Rare"
- "Emily"
- "Red Roses for a Blue Lady"
- "I'll Remember You"
- "Something"
- "My Love"
- "They Long to Be Close to You "
- "I Love My Friend"